Friends and Lovers
by Black Jeweled Widow
Summary: Love and Betrayal. A weakened chalice, shattered. A Warlord Prince has his Black stolen and wakes to find himself Ringed by the woman he once called a lover. R&R COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction baised in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jeweles Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a fourm I roleplay on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by Jabez and I use them with his permission. Demoncia Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demoncia Lunaris

**Writer of this chaper**: Jabez

* * *

Raith's shoulders burned, pain lancing through him with every shuddering breath. He tried keeping them shallow even, but every so often his body spasmed, sending searing pain across his back and down the nerves in his leg. He wouldn't scream though, wouldn't budge, hate and the promise of death filled his pale eyes as he looked out across the Hall. 

What should have been _his_ Hall, his Keep, _his Territory._

They'd struck well, they'd struck true and now the whisperings of the web Kin had built, the dark prophecy he'd seen had come true.

He tried to shift, to take some of his weight with his wrists, lessen that burning in his arms for a moment but it was impossible, his arms had been tied behind him and pulled over his back until he was forced to bend forward or dislocate his shoulders. That would happen if they pulled the rope higher lifting his body off the floor but for now _The Queen_ was happy just to have him bound for all to see.

They called it _strappado_, Hayllian Hanging, long, painful, intended to wound not to kill, slow torture. Raith hissed, the only noise to come out his throat, they'd taken his Birthright. They'd taken his Offering. Stripped him bare and then she'd slipped that golden ring over his cock because no other fucker had the balls to. Bitch, whore, betrayer, he'd slice her fucking eyelids off her fucking face just to force her to watch as he paid her back one hundred fold for this.

Whore, fucking whore, but the Warlord Prince had to admit she's played it well. How long had she been planning it, how many years had he known her?  
Waiting, wanting, seducing his brother.

Waiting for that perfect moment to strike, his Offering. Raith face pulled back in to a rictus of a smile causing the guards to step back even though he was bound. Yeah fuck you shit for brains; you know what I am now don't you. Actually that was a lie, only Kin knew what he was, what he had been before the Offering, only the only other Black Widow Warlord Prince in the Realms knew that there was another one.

His body spasmed again, his whole body in agony and Raith bit back the scream he wanted to issue, he wouldn't give her that satisfaction, never, he'd give her nothing ever again.

Raith had made his Offering, his dark dive into the Abyss, reaching out with pain and fear and undeniably fierce want and desperate need in an effort to create tangible threat to what they had seen coming and that had been his undoing. The snakes the two Black Widow Warlord Princes had seen rising up in Terrielle had been more numerous than they thought, and Raith, unknowingly, had had one in his own garden. She struck just before dawn, his own brother betraying him into her arms which turned from welcoming to cruel in the quiet sanctuary of the Altar.

Memories flooded in, Raith had turned, confused that there were people in the Altar, he hadn't finished, it wasn't safe, where was the Priestess? Why was his brother there? He'd been woozy and still partly in the shadowy landscape of the Abyss, and that had given them the advantage.

Demonica had wanted his dark power for her own, both knew he'd walk away with darker than her Gray, but only Raith knew what he was prepared to kill himself trying to obtain, so she'd let him make his Offering and then struck in that soft time between still making it and finishing it.

All Raith could remember was her face as she'd caught sight of the Jewel laid out on the Altar, and the look complete shock as she realized what it was and Raith had grinned, cold, vicious and victorious, the Black, HIS Black, and watched as hers had turned from shock, not to the look of warmth he'd expected but to one of cold lust then he'd known, whether from Black Widow's instincts or not, he'd not hesitated, not even thought he just struck. But he was weak, half in another world and unused to his new strength and the guards, Shemjaeza and Demonica had matched that hastily thrown strength and Raith had fallen deep into the Darkness till all he could do was to turn inwards stop his chalice shattering leaving his body for them

And so here he hung, for her pleasure.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction baised in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jeweles Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a fourm I roleplay on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission. 

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by Jabez and I use them with his permission. Demoncia Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demoncia Lunaris 

**Writer of this chaper**: Mel (aka Me)

* * *

Demonica's golden spheres moved over Raith from head to toe and back again as she settled down in her seat to admire her work. She knew that body; she knew every muscle, every curve. She knew how his skin tasted and how it felt to have him hovering over her. She knew the touch of those lips and she knew what it felt like to have his cock sheathed between her legs… None of it gave her more pleasure than what she now saw. She doubted anything ever would. Demonica had played him for the past decade or more, she'd lost count of the time, playing the good girl with his family, with him, swearing her loyalty to the man time and time again. Demonica had fooled everyone, had everyone believe she was the devoted lover of Raith Athan Malakhim.

Smiling as she watched him fight with his body's need to move, to scream to fight, she moved her hand down the thigh of the man seated next to her. She found his hand and laced her fingers with his. Shemjaeza Adoni Malakhim, Green Jeweled Prince. Her new pet and one that very well might stick with her. Having lived in Raith's shadow for far too long Shem took to her seduction easily. It was too good to pass up.

Demonica could only imagine what went though Shem's head the first time she approached him. She was Raith's but coming to him for true satisfaction. She wanted him over his brother. Yes, Demonica used his inferiority complex against him a bit but the man was good to her now, had proved himself to her and while she did not trust him completely just yet, he was getting there. Squeezing his hand a bit she watched Raith as she placed a simple, innocent kiss on Shem's shoulder. It was something she'd done to him a thousand times at various parties to calm his nerves, to comfort or just to let him know she was right there with him.

It was something she'd done just before he'd entered the Altar. Now she mocked his trust in her by showing the affection to his brother.

The guards moved a bit and Demonica's smile only grew. Idly she wondered how Minah and the others were making out but that could and would come later. Now, she had to finish what she had started. The Black Widow Queen of Hayll stood and pulled Shem gently up with her, fingers still laced with his. Her Gray jewel rested just above the swell of her chest.

She approached the hanging Warlord Prince calmly and unflinchingly, a smile forever turning her lips up and keeping her golden spheres bright. A cruel vicious smile. Her black dress as simple with its Black and silver corset top and long dark skirt, her heels made confident taps with every step she took. Long ebony locks were pulled up and back into a tight bun, stabbed though with two sticks, a blend of gray and green design on them. Two stands hung at her temples but she tucked those back as she came over closer to her former lover.

"Raith…" she cooed gently as she often had when asking him to join her in bed. "Raith darling." She turned her head a bit to meet his eyes and offered him the sweetest of smiles. One that had fooled him and everyone else for years. "Raith." She stepped closer still, there was disappointment in her voice now, mock sadness. "Scream for me." A purr worthy of the Darkness as she sent a jolt of pain though the ring around his organ. "Scream for me." She reached out to cup his chin, lift his head as she sent another bolt though the ring, stronger this time but no longer than the first. She could sense Shem at her back, ready to pull her away from the fragile Warlord Prince at the first sign of trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction baised in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jeweles Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a fourm I roleplay on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission. 

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by Jabez and I use them with his permission. Demoncia Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demoncia Lunaris 

**Writer of this chaper**: Jabez

* * *

Shemjaeza Malakhim the younger of the two Malakhim brothers, the forgotten son, sat back with what he felt to be well deserved confidence as he watched Raith, or _Athan_ as he'd wanted his brother to call him, fight the pain of his body.

Stupid fuck, what the fuck did he think, that he'd been grateful about that stupid second name business, that just because he was the elder Shem would worship him. What had the 100 Families said? They were the heir and the spare, well fuck 'em all, Shem wasn't being the fucking spare any longer.

He smiled as Demonica placed a kiss on his shoulder, knowing what it meant, over the past few years of their affair she'd never done it in public to him beyond times it could be seen as a joke, but he'd known, it had always been real, not that fake shit she'd pulled with Raith and how had she proved that? Because now she was Queen and he was the Consort. It was _official_. Right. And Shem was a protected male, dark enough that he should be Ringed but in the right position not to be. Unlike his fucking darling brother and Oh how the mighty had fallen. The Prince couldn't help but feel vicious satisfaction as the guards had marched out on the Queen's orders to Ring males.

His brother might have had everything, but now the fuck had nothing, no matter what Jewel the Darkness deemed fit to grace him with, Shem almost shook his head as Demonica drew him upwards, the Black? Come on, why the fuck had he got the Black?

He stood and smiled as Raith tried to jerk back as the Queen touched him, hissing in pain and anger as more stress was forced though his shoulders and Shem could almost feeling muscle tear and ligaments pull in sympathy and all it did was make him smile.

But there was something unnerving about his brother's eyes, that flat inhuman anger which filled them, the way he only had eyes for Demonica even as his body spasmed from the pain of the Ring. Raith didn't scream, instead he just clamped his jaw together and watched the Queen as if every strike against him was something he was painting on his soul to remember and pay her back for.

Raith's pale eye's flickered over to his brother and Shem fought the urge to step back at what he saw there, he had no idea what was going on in his brother's mind, Raith had always been unreadable, different from most of the Blood, more aware of the abyss and bound up in it and Shemjaeza suddenly had the idea that it would be safer to kill his brother than keep him no matter that Demo had his fucking Black, no matter that he was bound by the Ring.

And for a moment Raith smiled, cold, amused, arrogant, like he was the one watching his brother in chains and he _knew_ his younger brother, whatever his situation, was still piss scared of him, before the bolt of pain came screaming up from his dick to wash with the now comparatively dull ache from his shoulders.

The pale eyes watched his brother as his body tried to crunch forward round his cock and the pain emanating from there, tears of agony watering out his eyes, but the Warlord Prince didn't scream, instead when Demonica paused for a moment he bared his teeth in a mock smile. Pupils dilated down to pin prick and he ignored the Queen, a subtle insult, but one he could manage here.

"Brother," He hissed to Shem. "Oh Brother."

There was something out about his voice, a sharp brittle edge, something Shem hadn't heard it before, he had never seen his elder brother descent into cold anger, he's seen him walk the killing edge before, the man was a Warlord Prince, but the killing edge and the cold anger a Black Jewelled Black Widow Warlord Prince could obtain were two different things.

Demo flashed the ring at him again and Raith spasmed, the loud popping noise echoing through the Hall as one shoulder finally dislocated and he hung brokenly from the chains. Sweat poured off him and breathing ragged but still he wouldn't stop looking at Shem.

"Brother dearest." He whispered. "Shemjaeza, little Prince, _forgotten one_, you think this'll make you better? Stronger? _beloved?_" He barked out a cold laugh. "You think she speaks true to you? After the years of perfect lying to me? What makes you think she tells you, oh weak one, the truth."

The Queens heavy blast from the Ring was at exactly the same time as Shemjaeza's eyes flared in his own anger and he stepped forward to backhand his brother with a closed fist across the face.

And that was what Raith had been wanting, with out his Jewel's the reservoir of power at his command was severely limited as was his focus, but he still wore the Black, still out ranked his brother. The skin to skin contact formed a conduit and as his brother lashed out with his fist Raith lashed out with his mind, deep, dark, well below the Green.

Shem screamed and fell to the floor as the pain Demo was funneling through the Ring was transferred through Raith and into him, clutching at his groin, and as the nightmare of torture washed through him all he could hear from the distance was his brother's deep laughter echoing out over the Hall.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction baised in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jeweles Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a fourm I roleplay on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by Jabez and I use them with his permission. Demoncia Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demoncia Lunaris 

**Writer of this chaper**: Mel (aka Me)

* * *

Demonica was not disturbed by what she saw in Raith's pretty golden spheres. She had expected no less from him. Such fury, betrayal and, maybe it was just her, but even hurt that she'd done this to him. Fool. Her hand slipped from Shem's, her finger brushing the Consort's Ring she had given him the second after she become Queen without hesitance. Yes, the woman actually cared about Shemjaeza. A great deal actually. More so than she ever had for Raith, though there had been a time early on when she though she had loved the man that now hung before her. Letting his chin go as she banished those thoughts from her mind, Demonica folded both arms under her chest.

The silence between the three of them was long. The Queen met Raith's eyes with a cruel smile and unwavering confidence. Revenge was on his mind, how could it not be? He would never get it though. He would never be free again. Hayll was hers, HE was hers. The Realm belonged to her and Minah. The woman's golden eyes narrowed as Raith's gaze shifted to her Consort. The man's ignorance of her was noted and she would deal with him accordingly but for now, she let him speak. His voice was disturbing; he was teetering on the edge of the Twisted Kingdom perhaps? Fine. Let him fall, she had his Black, his Territory, his everything. Everything that would have been his was now hers or was destroyed. Everything that should have been his alone she now shared with his brother.

The echoing pop of his shoulder was beautiful, sent a shiver down her spine. Oh how she'd wanted to hear something like that from him for so long, a sickening sound that she knew pained him. The words that followed however led her anger and rage to chill the room. All her Gray power poured though the ring. "You son of a whoring bitch, how dare you!" Demonica had opened her mind to Shem, showed him her true care for him shortly before Raith made his offering. She'd needed him to know that she played no game with him, that she was truer to him that she ever had been to his brother. Demonica wasn't a fool, and did not take Shem for one either, not like the rest of the family had. She'd offered to let him in so he knew. And now, with Raith's words, she did not have to fear Shem hesitating. She was infuriated that he would be so bold.

She stepped aside and let her Consort take his swing. Let him give his brother the physical slap in the face that the older had given the younger for years though words or looks or ignorance. The small smile that played on Demonica's lips however was short lived.

Shem scream of pain stopped her world, stopped it dead. She cut off the power she was fueling into the ring instantly and kneeled next to her Consort. Her voice is soft as she strokes her hand though his hair and over his face. "Shem love... I'm so sorry." There was true concern there, she had no idea Raith could do that but she wouldn't make the same mistake again. Leaning in she rested her forehead against the Prince's, nuzzling him as her Gray power wrapped around Raith's neck, choking the laughter out of him while she comforted her lover.

Still holding her consort protectively she glared at Raith. "How dare you!" Demonica snarled again and stood after placing a kiss to Shemjaeza's forehead. The Queen stepped to Raith fearlessly and her hand came across his face, her snake tooth left a venom laced gash along his pretty jaw line. "You bastard, how dare you hurt him!" Her hiss was worthy of any self-respecting snake. "I love him Raith, have loved him for years. Not that you know what it's like to love anything more than this Territory and the power you had."

Calling in a small shot glass, Demonica forced Raith's mouth open and smiled cruelly as she poured the safframate saturated liquid down his throat. Sex had always been a big part of her life and though she had supposedly gotten over the trauma of what happened to her while she was younger, it did not keep her from using it against him. Actually it was probably the only reason she could stand him on top of her for so many years. She'd used it against him.

Craft held his mouth closed and her fingers gently coaxed the drink down his throat. Her sharp eyes moved to the guards. She could not tell, nor did she care who they were more afraid of, her or Raith, so long as they followed her command. With craft she pulled on the Warlord Prince's hangings, wanting to hear his other shoulder pop before walking over to Shem, her command firm. "Get him out of here."

Her arms slipped around Shemjaeza and she nuzzled into his shoulder, such a public display of intimacy she'd rarely showed Raith was the final insult to injury... not that she thought he'd care.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction baised in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jeweles Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a fourm I roleplay on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by Jabez and I use them with his permission. Demoncia Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demoncia Lunaris 

**Writer of this chaper**: Jabez

* * *

Raith's laughter choked out under the Grey and his body still shuddered with pain even though high amusement rolled off him. He still hadn't screamed but one little whisper of the Ring and his brother was curled on the floor whimpering and Demo was there. All apologies and caring attentiveness.

Something sharp twisted in his gut as he watched them with bruises forming on his face and shoulder, but already his mind was whispering about the little display going on in front of him and Raith listened.

The Gray held him as Demonica stepped forward and Raith's laughter bubbled out again until the Queen drew her long hand down his jaw in one sharp movement, the snake tooth leaving a shallow runnel in his skin. Raith would have to be careful here, her poison was sharp against the raw flesh, but the tiny drop she had coated the wound in would quickly be broken down to feed his own rather then working it's way painfully into his face.  
He was a Black Widow, a natural male one, a freak in many respects but that inch long claw hidden under his ring finger was one weapon he didn't want to reveal yet.

Raith's head tilted away from her, eyes chilled to the core with rage, but the moment her hand was away his head snapped round and he grinned. His black hair was lank with sweat and hung in thick clumps, casting shadows on his face as the sharp quality of his voice echoed in his eyes. Raith hung forward, bound, looking broken, but his eyes said other wise, the abyss swam in there, darker then either the Queen or Shem would ever manage, they could do what the fuck they wanted to him, had done, betrayers, usurpers, taken his Jewels, taken his land, _his_ city, but they would never touch his mind not how they wanted to.

That coldness, the inability to respond fully to another human, the love of Hayll over any Blood was probably partly what had driven Demo to his brother, but now it was a weapon.

"Mummy, I think I broke something." He grinned before descending into agony filled choking laughter, feeling his head wrenched back painfully and his mouth forced open by power he couldn't fight. Thick liquid poured down his throat and his position meant he either swallowed or suffocated. Raith choose the former, knowing it was a trap. Safframate. Stimulant. He felt it race though his body setting already wounded nerves on fire, burning through him with blinding pain, there was none of the soft warm glow the drug could produce, just veins full of broken glass until the drug hit his shoulder.

Raith screamed, high, inhuman and jerked on the chain, mind suddenly filled with nothing but the searing torture and he felt something snap inside of him. Something let go, like a spell which had had too much strength channeled through it, whipping away from his mind.

Watching, one of Shem's hands gripped Demonica, again he was suddenly frightened, more so now, nothing should sound like that, nothing should give off that suddenly twisted feeling, but the need to protect kicked in and as Demonica issued a sharp order and he moved slightly in front of her.

The Guards hesitated, paused as the unearthly noise worked its way into the Hall, they could feel the difference in the Warlord Prince as he screamed and two sides to them fought for control. Raith had walked away with the Black, and had ruled well, he'd honoured the Darkness and loved his land, he was everything a good Warlord Prince should be and while that stood him in good sted, they were still male and they wanted a Queen they could give their hearts to.

When Demonica had issued the order to march on the Altar, frail hope had filled them, maybe it was right that she had taken over, maybe Raith should have yielded to her Grey over his Red years ago, maybe they would get a Queen they could truly serve but now watching their former Ruler twist like a fish on the end of a line, unsurity whispered through them.

Shem snapped an aural shield round Raith's head and the broken scream suddenly cut out and silence descended. There was a pregnant moment where the guard looked at them and Shem looked over at Demonica.

Finally Shem found a voice. "Are you ok love?" He said, one hand coming up to stroke her face with his knuckles, the heavy Consort Ring between them, it caught his eye, reminding him of his brothers words. Shem forced them down, ignored them, Demonica had opened her mind to him, showed him her feelings for him he knew they were true and he loved her in return.

But still there was a part of him them wondered about it, pointed out that she wore the Grey to his Green, that she was a Black Widow as well as a Queen so how could he ever know the truth?

"You heard her!" He snapped at the Guards, unable to keep the slight edge from his voice and turned round to watch as they move to drag Raith down.

Raith stood there, as much as his position would allow, eyes bright and mouth twisted up into a smile without any hint of the drug burning through his body, he placidly let the Guards unchain him, let them walk him passed the Queen and her Consort, he turned as they did and offered a smile and a wink, before letting them lead him across the Hall till they were nearly out the room.

That was when he struck.

Temper flared, the room froze, ice coating the floors and walls as the steel will Raith used to hold back his mind let go and turned its attention to beating his captures into bloody chunks. One foot kicked out, arms useless, catching a guard in the head hard enough for the crack of his neck to be heard across the room, before lashing backwards at the guard behind him.

The Rose Jeweled Warlord at his side threw a blast of strength at him but as a Warlord Prince in the grips of Safframate fuelled cold anger all Raith registered was a slight feeling over his inner barriers.

He butted him in the head, a flashing grin flickering over his face. No Black meant he was limited to messy basic Craft, none of the fine complex spells he could apply scalpel like precision to but messy basic Craft was all he needed.  
The rest of the Guards spun, weapons drawn and Raith did something unhonourable. Something nasty and vicious.

He Vanished them.

All Blood had that power, from non Jeweled all the way up to the Black, it was basic Craft, one of the first things the Blood learnt, all the strength of a person did was alter the distance from where you could Vanish something from and the amount.

Raith grinned as the Guards disappeared and eyed his brother before taking one slow step forward. He should run, thought part of his mind, get away while he can, but the bigger bit, the bit that felt that with every step something was cracking like strong glass under pressure, threatening to shatter into a million pieces. That part was screaming for blood, for vengeance, for the Black and that was all he wanted.

The Warlord Prince advanced at a steady pace, eyes turning to focus on the Queen, he was going to kill her, to skull fuck her body and hang it out for the ravens, to burn through her pretty little mind and rape it in front of the world, there would be more guards soon, but he didn't care, he's kill them to.

"Give me it back Demonica." He said softly, a seducers voice whispering with the night. "Give me it back and I'll pledge my loyalty to you. I'll do what you want, anything, everything. You don't even know half of what I'm capable off. I'll burn down Terielle if you want it, drive everything to its knees in your name, just give me back my Jewels. I'll be yours, heart and soul. To command as you want. Just let me have my Black."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: Mel (aka Me)

* * *

Demonica was oblivious to the hurt Raith felt seeing her with his brother. After a few years with him she'd come to realize that Hayll and his power came before her despite the loyalty. For the next decade she'd worked him over and found herself fuming, venting, not to Raith about her problems but to Shem. It was like some twisted fucking fairy tale. She hadn't even realized she'd fallen for him. It was a childish thing, clichéd in many aspects but it was part of her needs. She hugged Shem and waited for the liquid to rip though Raith, ignoring the comment made. Raith didn't know about her past, he never would either, he wouldn't care.

The stimulant hit home and she smiled, hugging her lover as her eyelids fluttered happily with the scream that ripped though the air. Screams weren't usually her music, but from Raith, everything was different. Seeing him suffer as he never had before in so many ways was beautiful. He was getting everything he deserved for looking down at her and looking down at Shem for many many years.

Her Consort stepped in front of her and Demonica's arms slipped around his waist, her chin rested on his shoulder. The woman looked damn innocent. Sociopath. There was no remorse for the pain she was inflicting, mentally or physically upon her former lover.

Tipping her chin up to the youngest Malakhim brother, she smiled and nodded her voice a dark purr, a lover's caress to the ears. "I'm fine Hun." She was not a tall woman, standing only about 5'5" without heels. The woman nuzzled into his touch, sighed contently. Things were good. Raith was out of the way, Hayll was hers, Shem was on her arm and they were no longer hiding. Her eyes followed the Warlord Prince after the look he'd given her, glaring at him darkly. Who the fuck was he to look at her like that? Like he was so fucking perfect, like he would get...her...back...

Demonica had looked away from Raith finally, back at Shemjaeza for less than a second before the commotion seconds and by the time she turned her eyes over to Raith, the guards were gone. Just...gone. Demonica moved; shielded Shem and herself with the gray to protect from the basic craft or any other fucking tricks he might pull. Her eyes were wide with two things. Fury and disbelief. The only hint of fear was in her fast beating pulse. But he had no jewel. She had his jewels, he couldn't do shit, not to them, not while she shielded them.

Demonica stepped forward, away from Shem, she stood between them. He wanted her. She knew that, more than anything he would want her to suffer. Shem, leave us. Simple, quick over the Green. A command, not a request. She did not expect him to argue. She hated how that dark, cruel voice washed over her, as if laced with a constant compulsion spell. She hated how it affected her body.

"You're a liar." She hissed, speaking no louder than what needed to be heard between them. "You want to see me dead; you want to see Shemjaeza dead for daring to do this to you. For taking your Jewels, for taking your Territory, your home. We took everything you cared about and only then did you truly notice us. I give you back your Black and we feel your pain tenfold. Nothing in life is as easy as you're trying to make it seem and I am not going to fall for it Raith."

Stepping back she crossed her arms under her chest and she studied him, her golden orbs deep and thoughtful. Reaching out she brushed his hair from his eyes. She was not one of those Queens who feared getting her hands dirty, as if that was not already obvious. He was still a beautiful man. Even in this condition. "Everything has a price Raith; I know that better than anyone. You've lost it, you have no bargaining chip. You have nothing I want and have no power to use against me. Turn around and walk away, go see the healer and get your shoulders fixed then come see me and we'll talk, unless you want to let me in right now. Maybe, if I can make sense of your madness, I'll find suitable reason to give you your Red. But not the Black, I'm not a complete fool."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: J (aka God of Fuck All)

* * *

Naked, Raith stood before the Queen, his body was eating through the drug she'd given him fast, but not fast enough, the sheer amount Demonica had poured into his body causing his metabolism problems and without his Jewels he couldn't use they're power to help him burn through it, so he was stuck, fighting that need demanding release, wanting to kill something, wanting to fuck something, without any chance of finding peace. 

He nuzzled her hand as she brushed his hair back, capturing it lightly in his good hand, the Safframate forcing his old desire for her into his mind. He knew her body, every soft curve and beautiful line, lust filled the room, something Raith was unaware off as the drug melted his control. He kissed her palm, an old signal to her that he was there for her and like her peck on his brothers shoulder had been a mockery of there relationship, this was his marker of the same.

Raith stepped closer, within touching distance but refraining from that final act. He smiled down at her, it might have been frozen in the room but the heat between them almost crackled as he met her eyes. Her presence, a Queen to a Warlord Prince ate away at his anger and heightened the lust she had created in him.

"I'm not lying, Demonica." He said softly. "I don't want to see you dead, I want to serve you, be your weapon, the Black under your control. What good is it to you sat there? Pretty glass, that's all, give it back to me and I'll be yours. I honour my promises you know that. If you choose my brother over me so be it, if you rule Hayll so be it, everything has a price, let this be mine."  
Raith smiled, his pale eyes glazed with desire as he brought her knuckles up to his mouth again.  
"Minah has her pet Ebon Gray, yet what do you have? Little, apart from your Gray. And she keeps him free, I'm ringed, I'll never be free, give me it back and I'll not fight you."

"Give me my Jewels back," his voice was cool, so cool, yet heated with lust and lit with amusement and pain, speaking softly from below her. "And as long as I am Ringed I'll work for you. I'll harm neither you nor my brother and come the day I disobey a command I'll hand the Black over till you deem me worthy of it again."

The vicious smile flashed over him for a moment and the quality of his eyes changed, flaring to madness for a moment and he spoke, three lines, clear in pronunciation and tone, the Old Tongue, it was a Protocol a Warlord Prince's promise to a Queen, the strongest words outside of marriage one could use to hold up a promise.

"Now send for the Healer." He said and stepped back. "And I'll let you in."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: Mel (aka Me)

* * *

Demonica was cautious as he favored her touched, nuzzled into it as he did. She kept her eyes on his face and no lower. What was he playing at? Nothing. It was the drug working. None of it was real. She may have smiled outwardly but inside she was conflicted. As Shem had wondered if Demonica would turn on him, Demonica started to wonder if she'd been wrong about Raith. Had he really cared about her? He still stirred her and she hated it, standing there like that, wanting him while Shem still stood nearby. It was nature though. Dark Queen, Dark Warlord Prince. That was it. Or so she told herself.

"If you were sane Raith, I'd have no reason to doubt you." Her voice was calm, soft even, but emotionless. She pulled her hand back from his lips and swallowed her desire. Desire that brought back flashes of heated nights together. "But I've done far too much to you to reasonably think that you'll honestly keep those promises now. I've betrayed you and if given the chance I don't have any doubt you'll drive a blade though my spine." Damn him. She actually wanted to say sorry for what she'd done.

She stepped back from him and was quiet for a long long time. Minah did have her boy, but he'd been loyal from the start, there was no betrayal there, not like this. There were too many differenced for Demonica to think the situations were exactly the same. Something inside her wanted him to have his Black though. But she had to think with her head and not her heart; if she made a mistake it would cost Minah and the rest of the Circle too. She had Shemjaeza… and if e really did speak the truth she could have him too? Fuck it was tempting.

He moved closer to her and her hands moved to his chest, keeping him from coming any closer. His skin was hot, burning hot. She sent word for a healer then and there. Desire flared with that touch and she hated it. Her hands curled on his chest, nails scraped over his skin, not cutting but leaving raw red lines behind. Her gold eyes were a touch brighter than his and they locked with his as he spoke the Old Tongue. She knew the language, he'd taught it to her years ago.

It made no sense. Did he want part of it rather than none of it? Was that his logic? He'd rather be part of Hayll court than a slave of it? Would he rather be one somewhat level ground with Shem as opposed to being below him? She couldn't make sense of any of it.

"Open your mind to me Raith, open it completely. Let me find the truth for myself, words deceive but there is no way you can hide from me without your Black." She reached out to him with her mind, gently brushing his barriers even as his body pulled away and her arms moved back. She hugged herself now more than anything. She doubted and shouldn't have been. "The healer is on her way."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: J

* * *

When Demonica ordered him away, Shem complied, it was her Queen's voice, the one that brooked no argument, and unlike a Warlord Prince it was built into a Prince to obey more, they didn't have that edge of anger a Warlord Prince did, that ability to be a law unto themselves, they obeyed there Queens, and so he did. But only so far as he stepped back, she was his Queen, he wouldn't leave her. Not when it was his fucking brother.

Old resentment build in him as he watched Raith step forward, no it was all fucking wrong, he was suppose to be broken, bleeding, a whimpering mess not stood there as if he was the one in control, pumped full of safframate, pained wounded and yet still commanding enough presence that he was _bargaining_ for his fucking Jewels. Shemjaeza had always stood in his bother's shadow, lower caste, lower Jewel, the younger one, he had never been Hayll's darling, in some ways the Princes mind was a twisted up as his brothers cold one, but he was weaker, less and he was smart enough to realise this, and realise that there was little he could do about it. Even if he made a full descent he could never even match Raith now he had his Black. All the old wounds whispered round his head as he watched _his_ Queen melt at his brother's presence. _She_ had been his gift from the Darkness, _she_ had chosen him of his wonderful brother and she was the one who loved HIM, not Raith, HIM.  
And he loved her back, it wasn't just some sort of grateful masochistic feeling that bolstered his self worth over the fact she'd turned to him, he really did care for the woman in front of him, enough that with the bitter resentment that Raith had stirred in him and the feel of lust that was being generated between them he could feel anger sparking in his heart.

But he held back, he believed in Demo, he believed in the fact she knew what she was doing and he was, but underneath it all part of the reason he held back instead of blasting was the fact he was shit scared of his brother, even without his Jewels.

Raith smiled, down at the Queen, slow, languid, eyes all heavy lidded and hazy passion and slipped his hand over hers, pressing them to his chest to feel his heart beat before letting her retreat away.

"Good." He said with a smile and a nod and stepped back clearly not going to let her in till he'd been healed.

Shem waited till Raith had moved from touching distance and went up behind his Queen, offering comfort as his brother paced with burning energy trying to work the Safframate out his body. He hoped that that it fucking hurt. Ice followed his steps as Raith paced leaving trails of hoar frost behind him.  
You sure about this? Sent the Prince, Demonica didn't look sure, but he could understand her reasoning, Raith, fuck him, was right, Yasminah, no matter her past with Demonica, and Shem knew all about that, Demonica had always been honest with him, Raith's words might eat at his soul but so far she had shared with him secrets she'd never share with the Warlord Prince, No Minah probably wouldn't hesitate to turn on Demo if things started going badly and Raith was right, Demonica had her Gray for Jewel strength and that was it, beyond his Green, he thought bitterly.  
Hayden had Kin, Minah had Lucien and they could unfortunately do with his stinking brother to balance things out, to strengthen things out and to their advantage no one outside of the guards who had been with them knew what Raith had walked away with from the Altar. It galled him, and fuelled the anger in his gut, that yet again he stood in his fucking brother's shadow and _needed_ him.

But then the 'him' in question might not even be sane.

Raith paced, throwing mixed glances at them both, sometimes lust, sometimes anger, sometimes that calculating look Shem had always been wary of. More guards arrived and Raith snarled at them till Demonica backed them off, maybe they had pushed him too far, there had been rumours that Raith had always walked with one foot in the Twisted Kingdom and no matter how much Shem hated the situation of his Queen going into his brothers mind, Demonica was right, Raith's word couldn't be trusted in his precarious mental state.

The Healer came, and Raith smiled softly, and let her fix his shoulder, one hand wrapping round her waist in a possessive style, Safframate still making demands, he murmured to her, she blushed and Shem ordered her out the fucking Hall as his brother laughed.

"Just get on with it." He snapped and held up the hand which held the secondary controlling ring. Raith quirked an eyebrow up, as if to say you know what it feels like now, you think you can use it on me?' but said nothing as he walked over to the Queen rolling his shoulder round, the bruises and swollen quality of it where leaving, but he was still sweaty and feverish, the light brown of his skin bleached under it's tan.

"Ready darling?" He said and flicked a glance at Shem before turning to meet the Queens eyes.

Shem glowered at him but said nothing, Demonica was a Black Widow and wore the Grey, she'd rip his brothers mind apart before the fucker could even take a breath. Mother Night, no matter how much a Black at there disposal would be useful, he hoped Raith tried something so she could have that excuse.

Raith took the Queens hand in his own, relaxed smile on his face at odds with the burning cold in his eyes and brushed up against her barriers, teasing before he opened the first.

She drifted in, cautious, slow, webs at the ready, and Raith opened the next set and as she moved further in, his barriers went down before her one at a time, till she stood in the dreamscape of his mind.

It was freezing, not just the cold which turned the breath to fog but the cold which hurt the lungs and dragged the air from the body like it was trying to steal it's warmth and took a piece of the soul with it. It ate it's way into her body, into the core till she felt like marble.

Raith stood at one end of what looked like a long hall, in front of a raised Altar, everything was marble or steel, cold and sleek, as polished as the man in front of her, but there were no walls just empty fog marking the borders of the Twisted Kingdom boiling behind tall stained glass windows floating in the air.

The Warlord Prince smiled razor sharp and beckoned her forward.

"You like?" He said and drew her to stand with him at the Altar. "I made it for you."

He took her hand with his and pointed to the chalice on the table top. It was dark, maybe Black, maybe Red, as sleek and cold as everything else but weak, cracks ran all over it yet it was still whole.

"I'm not in the Kingdom yet." He said softly, "You can trust my words." 


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: J and Me

* * *

Demonica's golden eyes were not hardened nor were they soft. They were empty, neutral in all sense of the word. Nothing could be found in them, not even the slightest hint of life. The woman spaced out completely when the man touched her. She couldn't help get a feeling that he still wanted her…  
Maybe he did, but he would always love his power and his Territory before her and she couldn't deal with that. Shem loved her above all else… and though she'd admit it to no one but him, she felt the same. Trauma as a child left her craving true and utter acceptance and love. Not some halve assed, third in line emotion.

No, I'm not. She answered whispering even over the thread, stepping back into his arms, leaning against his body, needing that sense of security. The guards came, called by who she didn't know but she dismissed them. It wasn't comforting that they were far too eager to obey her. Turning in Shem's arms as they waited she sighed and kissed his chest, his collarbone, his lips gently.  
What was comforting to her however, was that when he flirted with the Healer, be it intentionally or because of the drug still working its way out of his system, it didn't bother her at all. She wasn't jealous. The Queen felt no ill towards either of them because of the flirting. In fact, she smiled.

Let that bitch be his mule. Let her see him though his ruts from now on, deal with his sexual hunger. The Healer was a light jewelled woman who wouldn't last one night with him, not unless he was painfully careful.  
She stopped her train of thought. She was thinking of Raith as a free man and he wasn't. Demonica needed to regain her focus and her love helped when he demanded the Healer to leave. Her eyes sharpened from their spaced out stare only to lock onto Raith's dull eyes. She gave a confident smile and slipped from Shemjaeza's arms and into his brothers. It was business and she knew he'd understand.

His mind touched hers and she arched a brow at him, tensed just slightly. She gave off a strong, confident feeling even though deep under it all she was scared, unsure and insecure in her own power. He'd vanished the guards; he'd transferred the pain of the ring from his body to Shem's. Even without his jewels the man she was facing off with was cunning enough to take out...  
Again Demonica cut of her train of thought. Thoughts like that would not help her keep calm. She was the weakest of the Triangle of Queens who'd started the ten Queen circle and she was dealing with a man who walked the edge of the twisted kingdom on occasion before she'd betrayed him. Possibly the most dangerous of all and the only way to get to him had been to mess with him in the most vicious of ways. She'd had to fuck with his heart. Warlord Princes… Passionately Violent…and Violently Passionate.

She felt him open and she pushed forward.  
Raith looked so inviting, so… normal standing by the Altar. He looked like the man she'd met in the bookshop over a decade ago and flirted with shamelessly. The man was even wearing the same suit. It was one of those things a woman just never forgets. You never forget what a man is wearing they first time you see him and he makes your heart flutter. You never forget the first kiss, first date. It's the first you remember, good and the bad… The first fight. The first night you cried over him. All that shit.

Stepping up to him, she takes his hand without thought. He was vulnerable now. There was nothing he could do to harm her and she could do everything to harm him.  
"Raith…" she purred gently, turning to face him, forcing her eyes away from the chalice that looked red in one light, black in another. Demonica smiled. Why? Because he was still there and not wanting her dead? Because she found the truth in his words she'd been wary of? Because she was on some level releived that the chalice was still intact? She wasn't sure.

Turning her eyes back to the chalice she reached out carefully to stroke its rim, her touch ever tender, just had to make sure it was real. She had to make sure it was real before she called in his Jewels. It was solid under her finger tip and it burned her. Not literally just… something shot though her veins, something distantly familiar. But she brushed it off for now.

Raith eyed them hungrily, his Birthright Red hung in it's steel setting but the Black just that there cold, beautiful as unmarked, as uncut as he'd seen it on the Altar and reached out.

Demonica hesitated, and looked around, something was off, it was too perfect, to controlled even for Raith. She knew the man's mind, knew the pure lack of empathy he could display that threaded through it, but this was too far even for him. He was holding the madness at bay with to much ease yet it was something familiar.  
Instinct hit her and she suddenly knew what that feeling from the chalice, it was the touch of a true sister of the Hourglass but different... "You're a Natural Black Widow." She whispered, eyes wide before she had time to register the words coming out her mouth.

Something flickered over Raith's eyes, a hint of unexpectedness, but it was gone as fast as it came and he smiled. "And now you know." He said and slammed the webs down.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: J and Me

* * *

In the real world everything happened at once. Demo fell to the floor in a boneless way as Raith fell to his knees, face contorted in effort as he fought her in his mind, locking down the barriers the Blood had to keep each other out to keep her in, it was dangerous, she was were he was most vulnerable and though ensnared in webs he had woven in his mind a long time ago she was fighting like a bitch, Grey against Red.

Raith was at the disadvantage, he may have had the element of surprise but without the Jewels she would eventually burn through them no matter how good he was, unless he could force her deep enough into the Twisted Kingdom it's self, if he could manage that then all that would be there would be a drooling shell of the Queen he had once loved.

Stood feet away, Shem saw his Queen go down and let out a strangled cry and felt that anger and resentment of all the years under Raith boil to the top. Anger turned to rage and hate and he raised the hand with the secondary ring on and the one with the Green on at the same time to pour all that hate and fear and anger into the same blast.

In his mind Raith felt it coming, roaring towards him in a thick cloud, smashing his barriers in its path, he screamed in pain and fury as it lanced through his mind and lunged at Demonica. He didn't care if it shattered his mind, didn't care as the stained glass windows rattled under the oncoming pressure and the smoking fog of the Twisted Kingdom boiled over the landscape, all he wanted was his Jewels.  
He reached, desperate, raw passion giving him the will to go on, till, as the Green wave crashed through his last barriers cold, smooth darkness touched his fingers.

Raith grinned wildly at Demonica for a moment and vanished, taking his webs with him, stained glass shattered, raining black and red shards down which exploded as the Green power crashed over the Altar and the grey world of the Kingdom racing through to meet it.

There was a moment, as the webs vanished and glass fell amongst the shadows, in which Demonica looked over to the Altar and saw Raith's dark chalice shatter into a million splinters before she threw up the Gray shield and her lover's power washed over her.

Shem grinned victoriously, as wild and as vicious as any Warlord Prince for a moment, till Raith suddenly rose the Red around his neck and his fist closed round the Black crystalline shadow in his hand.

For a second he seemed confused, as if he had no idea where he was before he looked down at the Queen at his feet.

"Hey?" He said softly, "Hey you ok Lady?"  
He knelt down next to her and brushed one long strand of hair from her face, a strange soft expression on his face. Shemjaeza's eyes flew open.

How dare he, how fucking dare he after all the shit he'd put them through how fucking dare he touch her. SHE WAS HIS.

He blindsided his brother, rage and fury forcing him to forget everything, all he wanted at that point was to see the man in front of him dead, dismembered hung from the rooftops for all too fucking see. Pale eyes dilated down to pin pricks as he burned, catching his brother across his face with his fist.

Shem rained blows down, not caring about forms and skills just wanting to hurt, to rend. A shudder went through Raith, and he moved, one elbow catching his brother in the neck, one hand catching his fist and he just pushed, walking the Prince back towards the wall till the rough surface slammed against his back. Shem hit him, the rage too much to make him think of the ring and Raith took the blow, it spilt a lip and the smell of dark power suddenly filled the room.

He smiled. Teeth red with blood and held up his right hand between them.  
His brother watched, still angry, still hurting, but the fight was leaving him, Demonica racing into his mind, was she all right, oh Mother Night let her be alright.

"Pay attention." Said Raith and nodded to his hand, "I'm going to let you into a little secret."

Pale eyes met pale eyes before both sets flickered over to the hand between them and the Warlord Prince flexed his fingers and bared his teeth in a bloody smile as the snake tooth slid out. "And now you know too." He muttered, grinning madly and pulled it back for the final strike.

Demonica heard Raith's voice. Cold, vicious, death-seeking… and there was only one other person in the room… and Raith was not on top of her. Her heart leapt into her throat and despite a splitting headache, Demonica was on her feet, lips working as her eyes took in the situation.

"PRINCE!"

Raith's head whipped round and he hissed.

Demonica stood there, cold and imperialistic, beautiful in her rage and relief flooded through Shem as instinct crawled up his belly, Mother Night, Mother Night he wished to _serve_. Her golden spheres flashed dangerously, a Queen's equivalent to a warlord Prince's Killing Edge. The volume of her voice had been to catch his attention, pull it from Shem.

"Prince." She said again addressing Raith with her voice dark, rolling wind. It was soft, a chilling as the room, hazardous; but Shem didn't care, she was alright. "Is your word worth anything or not?"

A Queen's tone, a Queens rage, not a thing to be trifled with, cutting through the haze of madness and anger and Raith looked at her, his head cocked to one side as he just dropped Shem like a rag-doll to the floor.

"Lady." He said turning and looked at her for a long, long while as if considering things and then smiled and bowed. Perfect Protocol. "I'm yours to command."   



	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: Me

* * *

Demonica unleashed her own webs and Raith's fell upon her, the scream she let out was not a high-pitched horror scream but something like a roar of fear, frustration. A battle call even mixed with the rest of it, determination, and fight. It was all there as her Gray clashed with his Red. He had the element of surprise but she had the power. She couldn't pull out and COULD destroy him completely but she wouldn't, not if she could help it.

The next clear thing she remembered was the rage and the fear that fueled it. Being on her feet, fighting the urge to go straight to Shem and Raith bowing before her. Nothing changed but she did reach out to her Prince on the Green thread. Jaeza? Love? You okay?

Her feet carried her to Raith as she remembered the webs crashing, the battle, his touch as she dragged herself out of the Abyss. What she remembered most though was the shattered chalice. She stepped very close to him, her hand moved under his chin, standing him upright before her. He was still very nude but it wasn't about that though. She had to be very very careful.

"Prince Malakhim," she spoke with a soft voice that was matched by a soft smile. Like a mother proudly talking to her son. Familiar but giving him the respect he deserved. Her knuckles brushed his cheek, opened so her hand cupped the side of it. Mother night what had she done? "Raith love..?" A hesitant test. Did he know who she was? What the time was? Where he was?

The man was more than she'd ever imagined. A Black Widow, natural, Black Jeweled Warlord Prince. Her hand moved over his neck, his shoulder, down his arm until she carefully took his hand in hers. She stared at his hand for a moment and carefully pressed on his ring finger, sliding out the snake tooth. Her golden eyes moved back up to him. He'd hit it from everyone, even her, for how long? And who else knew if anyone? The only other person she could think of was Kin.

Her index finger moved delicately over his wrist, his palm, up his ring finger all the while her eyes were locked on his. Black Jeweled Widow's Venom. She wasn't even sure she could do anything about it if he pricked her. She brushed her finger over the tip of the tooth, it was damn near suicide, one twitch and he'd poison her... And all the webs of defense she'd had, were gone thanks to him already.

Her smile grew as she pulled had hand away and was unharmed. She could work with him, carefully she would work with him. It was a risk she had to take. She needed his help if she wanted to remain a force to be reckoned with. Demonica sighed and glanced at Shem. He wouldn't like this, he wouldn't at all.

"Welcome to the Court of Hayll Raith." She stepped back and offered him a small box, opened, inside was that which signified a Queen's First Escort. "If you'd be willing Prince, I'd like you to become part of my Blood Triangle, First Escort."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: J

* * *

Coughing as he dropped, Shem strained to see his Queen. He was a Black Widow, Raith was a fucking Black Widow, to Shem it actually explained a great deal but until that moment the concept had never even crossed his mind. Who the fuck had ever heard of it? Part of his mind, the part that was probably the most like his brothers, that little voice in his head whispered at him, something he felt he should take note of, was he trained? And if he was who had done it?

I'm ok love. He send to Demo, taking comfort in her voice. Are you? She'd been in his brothers mind when he had unleashed but the Grey should have shielded her easily.

Getting her confirmation the Prince watched as she moved over to Raith, eyes focused solely on him, what the fuck, now what had the bastard done? He reached out it fucking hurt but he did it to taste his brother's emotional flavouring and cruel satisfaction swept deliciously through him.  
Shemjaeza laughed, it quickly turning into a choking noise from his bruised throat. He hadn't broken him, he hadn't killed him, but the fucker's mind had shattered, fracturing into the Darkness.  
Shem howled in his mind, laughing and laughing silently till tears rolled down his face. Everything had suddenly been worth it. He didn't care if the fucker had his Black, didn't care how dangerous he was he'd taken a long walk of the short cliff of sanity and was now drowning in a sea of crazy.

Raith lent into Demonica's hand again, eyes closed, enjoying the touch, it was painful pleasure from the safframate, psychic tendrils reaching out to caress her fingers in equal parts.

There came a deep purr came from his throat as he explored the dual sensations till the Queen in front of him spoke, drawing his attention back with soft words. Raith's eyes flickered open and for a moment there was nothing behind them them, just the abyss stretching back into the darkness, then something old and powerful yawned lazily and stretched out, as if waking from a deep sleep. It unworriedly looked out the Warlord Princes eyes and smiled coolly down at the witch in front of him, it wasn't just an unreadable expression, or even an understandable one, it was alien, perfect and inhuman. Raith leisurely arched an eyebrow.

"Lady Lunaris." He said formality and watched with passive amusement as she trailed her hand down his body down from his shoulder to his hand, palm to finger, to lightly force the snake tooth out its sheath under the nail.  
One side of his face lifted in an entertained smile.

"It's a snake tooth Lady." He said with the same cool smile, drawing it back into his finger as she let go. "Turned up when I was 12 like the rest of the changes. Are you going to inspect them too? Or have they already been examined to your satisfaction?"

A sharp expression flashed over his face as she called in the ring and Raith looked at it, his mind as opaque as ever before smiling professionally, a court smile as complete as before except for the blankness swimming deep in his eyes.

"It seems strange to be part of a Court's Triangle in the fifth spot." Said Raith without any hint of humour or sarcasm while taking the ring and examining it in the light. "Queen, Consort, Steward, Master of the Guard. And me."

"I suppose that fits." He said and slipped the ring on he bowed again and muttered 'with your leave' before stalking out the room.

Shemjaeza pushed himself off the ground as his brother accepted the ring, old bitterness pushing its way into his mind but he smiled malevolently. He was still the Consort, he still had the secondary controlling ring and when it was all said and done, he was still sane.  
It wasn't perfect but they had the Black and _he_ had Demonica. The Queen of Hayll. His love.

He made his way over to her and wrapped one arm round her waist, turning her face to kiss it.

I love you. Sent Shem. You think you can control him?


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction biased in the world created by Anne Bishop in her Black Jewels Trilogy. The characters are however are original and copyright of their maker. Keep in mind that **not all of these characters are mine**. I use them with permission of the maker. This is a thread from Ebony, a forum I role-play on. The link is my homepage if you wish to check it out. As such not all of this is written by me and again is used with permission.

Shemjaeza Malakhim and Raith Malakhim are characters made by J and I use them with his permission. Demonica Lunaris is mine.

Place: Hayll  
Characters: Green Jeweled Prince Shemjaeza Malakhim  
Black Jeweled Black Widow Warlord Prince Raith Malakhim  
Grey Jeweled Black Widow Queen Demonica Lunaris

**Writer of this chapter**: Me

* * *

_I know what it is._ Demonica thought softly, a slight aw touching her own voice as it echoed inside her head. _Why didn't you tell me? Why did you hide it from me?... You never trusted me to begin with._ Her lips parted in a soft sigh. Hayll and its people had come before her... but what about among his friends? How many of them knew his secret? How many of them knew things about him she didn't because he'd never told her? Oh well, she supposed they were even seeing as she'd never told him her past really either. She skirted around it, even lied to him. Maybe he'd known that, maybe that's why he hadn't trusted her with that secret.

He knew who she was, that could be good, could be bad at this point. However the comment after, referring to the other changes was boyish and actually made the woman blush as if she were centuries younger. She hated it. _Mother Night Raith..._. "No Raith hun." She said gently, still being forced to play her cards carefully until she could figure out at least a bit what was going on in his Twisted mind. "I'm not going to inspect the rest of the changes your body took on during puberty."

It felt very strange speaking something like that to a man who was about 150 years old. His expressionless tone caught her and she met his eyes again after having looked away for a moment towards Shem. Her worry about her boyo was well hidden but she still couldn't help but to double check. "If you'd rather not I understand..." She started before he took the ring and slipped it on. She smiled and nodded. "Good Night Prince."

Demonica watched Raith walk out and actually jumped when Shem slipped up next to her. She let her masks fall and leaned into him, taking comfort in his presence. Usually a Queen needed a Warlord Prince to calm them and vice versa, but not always. Shem was her love so it was only natural for his closeness to calm her. She let him turn her face but her eyes stayed on the door until they couldn't any longer. Her eyes locked with Shem and she smiled softly before returning the kiss and nuzzling him.

"I love you to Shem." She whispered softly then paused. Her arms slipped around him. He was the only one who ever saw her as she was now. Real. Fragile. Desperate for comfort. A person more than a Queen. "I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with him. But his secret will not be leaked. What he is stays between us. His mind is shattered and should he be able to rebuild it and, Darkness forbid, something go wrong, any and all kindness we show him now will hopefully stand in our favor."

She looked up at him and ran her hand over his throat gently before moving to her toes to kiss the already forming bruise. "C'mon, let's get you to a healer."


End file.
